


The Scavengers

by TransverseLadybird



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence (discussed), F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Torture, Multi, No Smut, Polyamory, Post-Canon, Threesome - F/F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-21
Updated: 2018-03-15
Packaged: 2018-12-18 01:31:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11863845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TransverseLadybird/pseuds/TransverseLadybird
Summary: Chapter 1: Murphy and Emori help Raven out sorting useful junk on the Ark, and the three grow closer as they come to terms with the scars of their past. They know where they stand, but will the others be so accepting?Chapter 2: Season 5 speculation. Almost 6 years drifting in space, and Raven has a solution to get them back to Earth, but will they be willing to make the sacrifices their freedom demands?





	1. We're all Scavengers

**Author's Note:**

> The amazing Griselda_Howl has written the SEXY smut scenes that are so blatantly missing from my emotion-infested fic. Read "Smut Scenes for TransverseLadybird's "The Scavengers"" straight afterwards for the oh-so-needed adult content and even more sweet and snarky scavenger dynamic. Links in the fic :)
> 
>  
> 
> I ship Murphy with Raven AND Emori; I couldn't stand him not being with one of them. Then I thought about how clever Emori is and how Raven would probably love her once she got to know her. They are so similar, and it's definitely canon that Murphy likes smart girls and Raven likes to be challenged. These three make perfect sense to me, let me know if you agree! :)
> 
> P.s. Murphy's a bit softer in this than canon, but I genuinely think that's where his character's going; look at the way he looks at Emori and Raven towards the end of season 4.

 

Read [Griselda_Howl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Griselda_Howl/pseuds/Griselda_Howl)'s  [Smut Scenes for TransverseLadybird's "The Scavengers"](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13069917) when you're done and want some adult content (or just more of this killer OT3)!

 

***

 

“How long’s it been since you slept?” Murphy’s drawl was unmistakeable, and a flare of annoyance sparked up in Raven’s chest. She tried to force it back down. _He’s trying to care_ , she tried to remind herself. He just wasn’t very good at it.

“I sleep fine,” she said. “We don’t all get to curl up next to Emori every night.”

She turned to see the smirk on his face. It was the least disgusting smirk she’d ever seen there; it was lit from underneath with real joy.

“Eh,” she muttered, “stupid loved up people.” Murphy drew closer; she hoped he hadn’t heard.

“Do you need a hand with anything?” He asked, staring around at all the junk. She was categorising everything into useful, potentially useful, and not useful. Nothing went in the latter pile. Raven Reyes could find a use for anything.

“What can you do?” She asked, finding it impossible to keep a tail end of scathing out of her voice.

“I didn’t mean me,” he said, like it should have been obvious. “Emori was a scavenger her whole life on earth. This,” he gestured to the junk, “is her speciality. And you guys can always use me for manual labour. I promise not to break anything.”

Raven blinked. She hadn’t thought about Emori’s skills with tech. Shame rose in her throat; she’d been thinking of both grounders like they were cavemen from history. Of course Emori knew tech; knowing what would be valuable to A.L.I.E was what made her a good scavenger.

“Yeah,” she said, swallowing hard. “Definitely Emori should help.”

Murphy smiled then; a real smile, not a smirk. “She’ll be glad. I think she’s not been sure what she can do to help.”

It only took Murphy a few minutes to bring back Emori. By the way she came in, nervous and hopeful, it seemed like this had been something they’d already talked about. Raven wondered if Emori had been too shy to ask her herself.

“Anything you can find that will be useful to our survival,” Raven said shortly. “Have at it.”

Emori beamed as she looked at all the junk.  Raven had assumed the scavenging was only for survival. Raven never imagined she might have enjoyed any part of it. Maybe she liked the tech as much as Raven. Butterflies erupted in Raven’s stomach at the thought of it.

 _Good one, Reyes,_ she thought to herself sarcastically, _get turned on by someone loving tech_.

Raven hated chatter while she worked, but the silence with which Emori got down to business was somewhat disconcerting. The fact that Murphy was quiet, too, was downright weird. She looked up at him, expecting to have heard half a dozen sarcastic comments from him about her love of junk, but he wasn’t looking at her. He was watching Emori, who was absorbed. His face had a soft look she’d never expected to see on it. He really loved her, and the thought made Raven look away quickly. Not since Finn and Clarke had she felt so much like an outsider on her own life. This was supposed to be her dominion.

“I forgot what a good scavenger you were,” Raven said, breaking her own pattern of staying silent to avoid her feeling of isolation.

Emori looked up sharply, trying to work out whether that was supposed to be an insult; the word ‘scavenger’ wasn’t exactly a term of endearment. When she saw Raven’s smile, she relaxed. “Yeah,” she said. “I loved the idea that you could take something broken and make it useful in a whole different way.” The comment was tongue in cheek, but there was a sincerity under it.

“And it’s fun,” said Murphy.

Raven pulled a face at him.

“You know, Ravens are a scavenger bird?” She asked idly. Emori didn’t look surprised, but Murphy did.

“You a scavenger, too, Reyes?” He asked, smirking. The softness had disappeared and Raven was almost relieved to have Murphy back.

“Better than a cockroach,” she countered. Emori smiled, and stuck her tongue out at Murphy.

“Cockroaches _are_ scavengers,” he said. “I was using it as a compliment. Welcome to the club,” he gestured to himself and Emori.

Raven laughed. Murphy was fun when he wasn’t being a dick. After saving each other’s’ lives, they’d gotten over their animosity, but they hadn’t ever been quite this friendly. Not without something hanging over them.

“I guess we’re all scavengers now,” Emori said quietly.

They slipped back into silence, but Raven didn’t feel like the outsider now. It was like that small thing linking them had put her on the same side of some invisible line.

***

Raven was eating alone when Emori and Murphy came in, laughing about something. The familiar sinking feeling resurfaced. It seemed to do that every time she saw them together these days; ever since they’d started working together sorting the scrap. She sighed. She’d have to figure that out.

They broke off and sat either side of her.

“What’s going on?” Asked Emori. Raven thought it might have been the only time Emori had initiated conversation with her.

“Trying not to think too hard about what I’m eating,” said Raven, only half joking. The slop was truly disgusting.

“That’s what she said,” smirked Murphy, who stood up to go and get him and Emori some food. They all helped themselves. Quantity was not a problem when no one wanted more than their calorie requirements of the stuff.

Emori was staring at Raven, a weird half smile on her face.

“Hey,” she said quietly, when Raven put her food down uncomfortably. “I know you stood up for us in Becca’s lab.” Becca’s lab seemed like a lifetime ago.

Raven swallowed. “I should have done more.”

“Well, you saved our lives to make up for it. How about that?” Emori was smiling. She was joking around about the time her life was threatened. Maybe her and Murphy _were_ perfect for each other.

“She’s trying to say thank you.” Murphy dumped food in front of Emori, then sat on the other side of Raven. He angled himself so they were almost sitting in a circle, and Emori and Murphy faced each other. “She’s not very good at it.”

Emori hid her eyes at his remark, focusing on her food.

“Well,” Raven started, trying to keep it light so as to avoid embarrassing Emori anymore, “you guys saved my life. I think we’re all good.” Murphy grinned, but his eyes were slightly full. It was the same expression he wore when she’d told him she was floating herself, before she’d decided to live. She’d told him that it wasn’t his fault then, but now it seemed more true. They’d been through too much for the past to matter anymore.

Raven looked at Emori, who was still avoiding engaging. Raven was impressed at the alacrity with which Emori could eat the disgusting food they had to eat.

Murphy wrinkled his nose, but finished all his food. Raven had to struggle through it. She was the last to finish.

“Do you need help with anything?” Asked Emori, reengaging now that enough time had passed the subject could be changed.

“Actually, I was going to have a nap,” said Raven, honestly.

“She sleeps?” Asked Murphy in fake shock.

“Ha ha,” she said sarcastically.

Emori smiled at Murphy, who lifted one eyebrow.

“We found something,” said Emori with tightly coiled excitement, and Raven instantly knew that this was something they’d discussed before coming in.

“Is this something illegal?” She asked wearily.

“There’s 7 of us. What’s illegal now?” Asked Murphy. “Don’t you think we’re a bit above that?”

Raven shrugged. She couldn’t disagree. “So...”

“So, we thought you might want in.”

“In?” She asked, but she was starting to get the feeling that she knew what they were on about.

“We found some of the Chancellor’s stash. Jaha may have been a psycho, but he had pretty good taste in Scotch,” smirked Murphy.

The way Emori and were grinning at each other made Raven feel like a naïve child.

“Why on earth would you tell me about it? Surely you don’t want to share.”

“We’re sharers,” said Murphy, clutching his chest and feigning hurt.

“We’re spending 5 years with these people,” said Raven, “I think you should share with everyone.”

Murphy grinned at Emori. “Yeah, ok. But,” he said, pulling a bottle out of his bag and cracking the seal, “they’d better get here quick. We’ll be in our room.”

Raven rounded up the rest. All she’d had to say was that Murphy had found the alcohol stash, and they came pretty quickly. Monty smiled the first smile Raven had seen on his face since they’d arrived in the Ark. That more than the alcohol lifted her spirits.

Only a few sips were missing when they got to the room Murphy had claimed. Apart from Bellamy’s grumble about them getting started, the vibe was positive.

They passed the bottle around carelessly. They weren’t in the mood to ration, and no one really cared if they got less, as long as they could be cheerful for a bit.

Raven was pleasantly buzzed and they were on the second bottle before her attention was diverted when Monty and Harper tried to casually slip away, but ended up making way too big a deal of their ‘innocent’ escape.

“We know you guys are together,” said Bellamy, rolling his eyes at the theatrics.

“Some of us more than others,” said Raven, suppressing a large smile. Monty glared at her. He had started putting a sign up on their door with KNOCK written in large letters.

Echo finished off the last swig of the bottle and stood to smash it triumphantly, but it managed to slip from her unsteady fingers. Raven guessed that she’d drunk most of the second bottle herself. Bellamy caught her as she swayed slightly. “Bed,” he said, in his mom voice. Raven rolled her eyes. Even a bit tipsy, Bellamy managed to worry about everyone.

Then she realised it was only Murphy, Emori, and her, and Murphy and Emori were making eyes at each other. She was the only one without a pair tonight. The alcohol exacerbated the loneliness. She shifted uncomfortably, and tried to stumble to her feet.

“Whoa,” said Emori, catching her as she fell back onto her arse, completely ungracefully.

“I, uh, I’ll leave you to it,” she said, realising she was still half sitting on Emori’s lap. She tried to lever herself up again, but Emori was holding her around the middle.

“You don’t have to go anywhere, if you don’t want to,” said Murphy, smiling sincerely.

“I don’t want to…” She desperately didn’t want to be the third wheel, and worse was the thought of being _in the way_.

“John and I spend far too much time together,” said Emori, and Murphy stuck his tongue out at her over Raven’s shoulder.

“C’mon, Reyes,” said Murphy, “just the three scavengers.” Emori pulled something else behind her back. It was a speaker. The tune from it was tinny, but it was music. Raven hadn’t heard music since she’d driven the rover. Then she pulled out another bottle of alcohol.

“We’re not _that_ good at sharing.”

Raven tipsily realised she was still half lying across Emori’s lap, and shifted so she sat beside her, their knees touching. Murphy sat across from them.

“John made cards,” said Emori.

“Yeah?” Said Raven, excitedly. Finn had taught her games when they were kids. She hadn’t played in forever.

“I only know snap,” said Emori, “John’s a terrible teacher.”

“Am not, you just _really_ like snap.”

Raven laughed, relaxing into the evening. They truly didn’t make her feel in the way. “I’ll second Emori. Murphy, you’d be a terrible teacher.”

“Snap it is then,” he said, glaring at the laughing girls, but with softness in his eyes.

He dealt quickly. The cards were a little unevenly shaped and Murphy wasn’t the neatest writer in the world, but having a whole pack of cards was something that yelled “frivolity”, a feeling Raven wanted to welcome.

The first pair bypassed Raven completely, but Murphy’s hand smacked down hard on top of Emori’s as they both reached for the pack. She focused harder on the play, and won the next time a pair emerged.

“Pick up your game, John,” teased Raven. She felt a shift in the atmosphere as there was a brief freeze. She’d never called him by his first name. After a few seconds, he relaxed back into his normal half smile.

“Bring it, Raven,” he said, leaning forward intimidatingly. She put her hand on his face to push it out of hers. He pulled it off, pretending disgust. Touching him so intimately and casually sent a shockwave across her skin.

Her heart picked up the pace as they continued to play. All three of them were touching knees now, creating a triangle with their legs.

Emori’s hair was lifting with the waves of air from the ducts, touching hers, and she could smell the alcohol on their breath. She felt off-kilter, but she didn’t hate the feeling.

Emori won. “What’s your prize?” asked Raven drunkenly. Emori didn’t reply. Instead, she leaned forward, closing the few inches of space between them, and pressed her lips against Raven’s.

Raven didn’t pull back, but neither did she reciprocate. She was too shocked.

“What…?” She asked, but couldn’t actually verbalise a question.

“To say thank you,” said Emori, smiling an endearingly cocky half smile. Raven couldn’t pull her eyes away, but she could still feel Murphy’s knee against hers. Acutely.

When Emori’s eyes dropped at her lack of response, the spell was broken, and all Raven could think was that she couldn’t make Emori feel like she didn’t want her. She did. She put her hand tentatively on Emori’s leg and leaned toward her cautiously.

Emori looked up with a question in her eyes. Raven answered it by kissing her back.

When they broke apart, Raven’s eyes flicked to Murphy’s, her whole body tensing.

“Raven, we should have talked about this,” he said, looking altogether too uncertain to be the Murphy she knew, but then she realised she’d seen the look before. When she’d stayed behind at Becca’s lab.

Emori was smiling at them, so Raven did what she wanted to do, trying not to analyse _why_ she wanted it so badly. She grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him in to kiss him. It was not in any way gentle, but there was so much emotion in it that she lost all grounding for a minute. Her fingers bit into his skin, and she could feel her shirt scrunched up in his fist as he dragged her closer.

When she pulled back, breathing raggedly, Emori claimed another kiss, deepening it this time.

Raven suddenly wanted nothing more than to be enveloped by them. Without breaking her kiss with Emori, she yanked Murphy towards them. He took the hint, and encircled her, pressing his warmth up against her side.

He brushed her hair away from her neck and bent down to press his lips against the bare skin. Raven groaned into the kiss with Emori.

Murphy was holding back, uncertain despite the kiss. Raven leant away from them both for a second and slipped her shirt over her head. She quirked one eyebrow at both. _Your move_.

Murphy’s eyes were aflame with hunger, and he couldn’t seem to stop his hands moving forward to stroke across her exposed skin. His hands were so warm, she shuddered gently. She stroked up under his shirt, lifting it, then tugging more urgently until he was forced to raise his arms to pull it off.

Emori kissed her way down Raven’s chest, making short work of the brace even while she kissed her. She was a hell of a multitasker.

 

***

 

As their bodies cooled, Murphy grabbed a blanket and threw it over all three of them, and switched off the light.

Raven started feeling awkward again. What if it was just sex? Should she leave?

She shifted up onto her elbow, but Emori’s grip tightened on her. “Don’t you dare take away warmth,” she said sleepily, pulling Raven back down into her embrace.

Murphy settled on the other side of Emori, then reached across to stroke Raven’s hip gently. Sparks radiated from where his hand touched her skin.

With her head pillowed on Emori’s shoulder and Murphy’s fingers idly touching her, Raven’s thoughts went into a tailspin.

She tried to copy Emori’s deep breathing to calm herself, but it was too hard. Murphy’s fingers slowly stilled and his hand rested heavily on her hip. It was roughly calloused, but warm and gentle.

She had thought that her history with Murphy was in the past. They had become friends in space. They’d saved each other’s lives enough times to move past when he’d almost killed her and she’d tried to shoot him and then handed him to the grounders. But lying down next to him and his girlfriend, flushed with a post-coital glow, was too much for her to wrap her head around.

“Stop thinking,” muttered Murphy. Raven stiffened. She’d thought he was asleep.

“I can’t,” she whispered.

“Well, at least your brain won’t explode now,” he said, and she could hear the depth behind the deadpan remark.

“How did you know I was awake?” She whispered.

“Your breathing is too rapid, and you’re too still.” Raven forced herself to remember how long Murphy had been by himself in the wild; he was acutely attentive. Murphy sighed and pulled his hand away. Raven missed it.

“I’m sorry if this is too much, Raven,” he said, sounding genuinely remorseful.

“I wanted this as much as you did,” she said, not enjoying the guilt in his voice. She’d been a willing participant, now she just had to convince her brain it was ok.

“But now you’re lying there wondering how you could have let Murphy touch you,” he said, the hurt hidden but still obvious in his return to sarcasm.

Everyone had hated Murphy for almost killing Raven, but he’d never wanted her dead. He hadn’t even known it was her he was shooting at. Whereas Raven… there had been many times she’d actively tried to get Murphy killed. The fact that she hadn’t succeeded was chance. She couldn’t say any of that right now.

“Your hand helps my hip,” she said instead. He replaced it, and she covered it with her own. The warmth eased some of the ache from it.

Emori rolled slightly so Raven was tucked more firmly into her chest. Murphy rolled, too, so he was spooning Emori, his hand still resting over Raven’s hip. It was the warmest she’d been in… well, probably forever.

“You guys all good?” Asked Emori quietly. “Can we sleep now?”

Murphy chuckled. “She always sleeps straight after sex.”

“You’re a good one to talk,” muttered Emori.

Raven chuckled and let herself soak into the warmth. She _was_ sleepy.

 

***

 

Waking up was cold, but luckily there was still a warm body to press up against.

“They say men are the lazy ones,” remarked Murphy’s drawl from somewhere behind her. His voice sent memories crashing through Raven’s brain, and she sat up sharply.

Murphy was sitting in just his trousers, his chest bare.

Raven was still completely naked. Although the amount of light had not changed, she was embarrassed about being seen in the “light” of day. Not because she was ashamed of her body, but because it seemed to cement their activities from last night. A slightly drunken hook up was one thing, waking up and getting dressed was another.

“Come on; we’ve got junk to repurpose. Your favourite thing,” he drawled.

Emori grinned at Raven, without a trace of sleepiness in her eyes. She’d been awake for a while, Raven guessed, maybe not wanting to disturb her.

Murphy threw Raven her clothes with a wink. “Do you want light to get dressed by?” Asked Murphy, too innocently.

It was never really dark. She could see fine.

She didn’t look up once while getting dressed, and no one talked.

“So, to the junk room?” Asked Murphy to break the silence.

“Actually,” said Raven, “I usually work out first.”

Emori cocked an eyebrow, her gaze drawing to the brace Raven was putting on her leg. Raven didn’t take it to heart, she just smiled back. “I’ll show you.”

They were the first people she’d taken to her makeshift gym. There had been a gym in alpha station back in the day, but it had fallen to Earth with the rest of their people. She’d hung a bar and an old stool was a good step up. Her leg was stiff, but she was damned if she would let her body fail her completely.

Other than that, she could perform sit ups and push ups in the space. Emori’s eyes were gleaming as she took in the room.

“Let’s do it,” said Murphy with a challenging air, stripping off his shirt and grabbing the bar, hauling his body weight up.

Raven didn’t even try to keep her eyes off his chest.

 

***

 

They hadn’t exactly agreed not to tell anyone, but nor had they told anyone. It had been weeks, and Raven had spent more nights than not in Murphy and Emori’s room. If anyone noticed the equilibrium that had formed between them, they didn’t want to rock the boat enough to mention it. That was until they got careless.

Murphy, Emori, and Raven were in what Raven had dubbed her workroom; the place where she had carted most of the usable junk. Emori and Murphy had got into an arm wrestling match which had quickly turned into them kissing. Raven threw her pliers at them in mock disgust. “Get back to work,” she said.

“Make us,” challenged Emori. Murphy’s mouth was far too preoccupied. It was an enticing proposition.

“Fine. Be children,” she said instead, going to pick up her pliers.

Murphy’s arm reached out without him breaking contact with Emori, and hooked her into his side. She stumbled and fell on top of him as he lay back to catch her fall.

She rolled her eyes at him and tried to lever herself off him but he captured her in a passionate kiss first, then let her up with Emori’s help. When Emori and Raven were both standing, Raven couldn’t resist giving her a kiss, too, before going back to work with an uncontrolled smile plastered over her face. She felt giddy, and young.

Emori helped Murphy to his feet, and only then did they hear a throat clearing from the doorway. None of them had heard the door open.

“Well, this is cozy,” said Monty drily, raising his eyebrows at them.

Raven spun around, losing her balance. Murphy steadied her, which only raised Monty’s eyebrows further.

“Monty,” said Raven, like it wasn’t obvious that it was him.

“I knew you guys weren’t trying to kill each other anymore, but this seems…” He seemed to struggle for the word. “Overkill.”

Raven had nothing to say. It was like they were all frozen by Monty’s unsmiling judgement. Monty wasn’t judgemental, but he could be… not understanding.

Raven limped towards Monty stiffly, holding her hands out in a gesture akin to pleading. He stood unmoving, his arms crossed.

“Monty,” said Murphy, stiffly.

“Can you guys give us a minute?” He asked Murphy and Emori, his voice phrasing it not as much like a question as an order. The old Monty would have been unsure. The new Monty had no such qualms.

“What are you doing, Raven?” He asked incredulously as the door closed.

Raven waited a moment to make sure the door was closed properly before answering. Then she realised she didn’t have an answer. She just shrugged, but she couldn’t help the smile that appeared. That seemed only to confuse Monty more.

“He shot you, Raven.” He said. That made the smile fade.

“I know. And I tried to kill him for that.”

“And he tried to kill Jasper. Twice.”

“Trust me, I repaid him for that. I tried to turn him over to Grounder-torture to save Finn. And he _was_ almost killed for a murder he didn’t commit.”

“He tried to rectify that by committing murder.”

“Then he saved my life. And Clarke’s. And we repaid that by almost killing both him and Emori.”

“So you’ve forgiven him for being a murderer?”

“Yes!” Raven cried. “Like I’ve forgiven myself for being a murderer, and Clarke, and Bellamy, and you, Monty.”

Monty physically recoiled from her words. “Don’t you dare,” he hissed.

“I love you, Monty, but you can’t claim innocence. None of us are innocent. None of us are evil. We are all people who’ve been in terrible situations that we’ve tried to deal with. Sometimes by killing.”

“But Murphy…” He started.

“Makes me happy,” she interrupted. He never once pitied her, nor did he ever question when she could do something. Neither he nor Emori ever imposed limitations on her abilities.

“If it helps,” she said, when Monty didn’t reply, “he’s saved my life more times than he’s tried to kill me.” She didn’t expect it, but that made his expression soften and a shadow of a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

“What about Emori?” He asked.

“She’s incredible. And brilliant. If she’d grown up with teachers, her mind would have surpassed mine easily.”

“And what are you to them?” Monty asked. His questions were more intellectual now. He’d got over his initial horror at the thought, at least.

“I don’t know,” Raven was forced to admit. “All I know is that they make me happy.”

Monty’s mouth worked, then he met Raven’s eyes resolutely and smiled stiffly. “Then I’m happy for you.”

“How about you, Monty? How are you?” Monty spent his time looking after the algae farm or with Harper.

“Surviving,” he said shortly.

“Seriously,” said Raven, staring him down.

“We’re doing ok,” he said. “Having Harper makes all the difference. I don’t know what I would have done if she hadn’t lived. But she did. That’s what I have to focus on. I just…”

“Miss everyone else?” Asked Raven rhetorically, “me too. But whatever happens, we’re on this ship for over four more years. This is our life for the foreseeable future. We have to deal with that.”

“And dealing includes shacking up with Murphy and Emori?” Asked Monty wryly. Raven stiffened at his still-judgemental tone.

“I love them, Monty,” she said, then wished she hadn’t said anything. She’d avoided even thinking that.

Monty nodded thoughtfully, and then spontaneously hugged her. “I’m sorry, Raven. I’ll try to understand, I promise. I just can’t promise I’ll be able to. This is the man that _shot_ you. Are you going to tell the others?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, I promise not to say anything until you’re ready.”

“Thanks, Monty,” said Raven, real gratitude soaking her words. This was the Monty she remembered.

“I’ll, um, leave you to it,” he muttered, embarrassed now.

It was only a few minutes after Monty left that Murphy and Emori re-entered.

“How was that?” Asked Murphy. He looked really uncertain, and his face was becoming the surly mask he wore when there were too many emotions going on in his head.

“He’s not going to tell anyone,” she said.

“Not what I was asking,” he said bluntly, standing behind where she was working and putting a solid hand on her shoulder. “Are you ok?”

“Yeah,” she said, staring at the machinery in front of her.

“So…” said Murphy slowly. “That door’s not actually soundproof.” Raven looked up quickly to see Emori grinning at Murphy.

“What?”

“And, um…” Murphy sounded really awkward now.

“What John’s trying to say,” said Emori, kneeling in front of Raven and putting her hand on her thigh, “is that we love you, too.” She grinned nervously.

“Oh,” is all Raven could think to say.

“And I don’t see why people shouldn’t know,” said Murphy, still standing out of Raven’s eyeline. She couldn’t see his face anymore, but he sounded unsure.

Raven’s hands started shaking but she realised that if this _thing_ was going to be permanent, it couldn’t be a secret from the four other people they shared a life with. Hopefully Monty was going to be the loudest dissenter.

 

***

 

Bellamy was standing at the window when she found him. It mirrored their first conversation on the Ark too much.

“Hey, Raven,” he said when she came to join him. “What’s up?”

“I wanted to talk to you about something.” He turned to look at her, clearly catching the nerves in her voice.

“Are you ok?” He asked, his brow crinkling in concern.

“Fine,” she said, but her hands were shaking and she had to tuck them into her armpits. Luckily it was cold enough to get away with that.

“What is it, Raven?” He asked, now focusing his whole attention on her. It was intimidating. She had to just say it.

“I’m in love with Murphy and Emori,” she said quickly. His whole face opened in surprise; his eyebrows shooting to his fringe and his mouth dropping open.

“What?”

“You heard me, Bellamy.”

“I’m really wishing I hadn’t." He said bluntly. "Are you insane?” He asked, clearly genuinely asking.

“They’re – um – they feel the same,” she said.

Bellamy tuned back to look at the view, his mouth moving silently. He didn’t seem to have a response.

“We’re sort of…” She tried to find the words then ploughed forward, “we’re together.”

“You and Murphy?”

“And Emori.”

“Emori didn’t shoot you,” he said dismissively, meaning he didn’t have a problem with that part of it.

“I thought you two were good, now,” she said pointedly, but she knew that wasn’t the point.

“We all get along, because we have no other choice, but you and Murphy? That’s a disaster waiting to happen. How have you…? Have you forgiven him?”

So clearly Monty wasn’t going to be the loudest dissenter.

“Longer ago than I realised,” she said simply. “Look at you and Clarke. Who would have thought when I landed on the ground that eventually you and Clarke would be…?” She couldn’t finish the sentence, because she didn’t exactly know what they were.

He didn’t reply, just looked at her with a question in his eyes.

A throat clearing behind them made them both turn. Murphy was standing a little way off.

“Sorry,” he muttered. “I wanted to make sure you were ok.”

Bellamy’s expression grew perhaps even more confused, but he was smart enough to make his exit. As he walked past Murphy, he grabbed him by the shirt. It wasn’t overtly aggressive, but it was intimidating.

“If you hurt her, John Murphy, I _will_ kill you.”

“Really got that peace and harmony thing down, Bellamy,” Murphy deadpanned. "Don't you think Raven can take care of herself?"

Bellamy just let go with a growl.

Murphy waited until he left, then walked to Raven. He didn’t reach out to her like she expected. Instead, he stood awkwardly, shifting from one foot to another.

“He’s right. Monty’s right. They’re all gonna think the same thing and they’re all gonna be right. I shot you, Raven. _I’m_ the reason you can’t walk properly. I’m the reason you wake up most mornings in pain. We can’t just leave that behind us.”

“Isn’t that up to me?” Raven asked.

“I have to live with what I did to you.” His eyes filled with tears. It was only the third time she’d seen tears on his face.

“Do you want me to go through what we’ve managed to forgive each other for?” She said like it was easy. “Should we start with how many of us were going to go along with putting Emori’s life at risk for our survival? Me trying to kill _you_ on multiple occasions? Or Bellamy killing _300_ Grounders? Me torturing Lincoln? I can’t say Bellamy’s forgiven Echo for killing Gina and almost killing Octavia, but he sure as hell acts like he has.”

“Enough,” he said roughly. He didn’t want to think about those things any more than she did.

Raven put her hands up to his face, staring straight into his eyes. “I meant it when I said it’s not your fault. My leg is just part of who I am, now. Just like we all have to live with our memories. So I have a physical reminder; we all have our scars.” She lifted Murphy’s hands; scars showed the places where the Grounders had torn out his fingernails. She placed his hands on her cheeks and covered them with her own. “If you’re worried about my hip, though, you are definitely on massage duty forever,” she teased, trying to lighten the mood.

He chuckled through his tears, smiling fondly down at her. “Forever,” he echoed, leaning down to kiss her; so gently she almost couldn’t bear it.


	2. Exodus, Part II

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Almost 6 years drifting in space, and Raven has a solution to get them back to Earth, but will they be willing to make the sacrifices their freedom demands?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I watched the trailer and I couldn't concentrate on anything until I got it out of my system. How are the Scavengers going in space?

 

A tap on her shoulder brought Raven back to her body with a jolt. Lost in the stars was much preferable. She turned to castigate the interrupter, but it was Emori, and she looked a little lost, so she just looped her arm through the other woman's and turned back to the stars.

Emori's expression had never quite lost the look of wonder while looking at the stars. "I can see why you loved it out there," she said softly. Raven didn't really reply, she only put her head on Emori's shoulder. "Do you think we'll make it back?" She asked.

It had been almost six years. The Earth was habitable, but they hadn't yet found a solution. Apart from the bare minimum work to keep the Ark going, all their efforts were devoted to going home.

Raven shrugged. "Fuck, I hope so."

Emori looked thoughtful. "I should want to. Everything about this place tells me this isn't where I should be, but..." It seemed hard for Emori to say. Raven curled her arm around her and pulled her in tight. Emori sighed. "But everything about Earth told me the same thing. At least here..."

"Here you're wanted," supplied Raven when it seemed Emori had run out of words.

"You're wanted wherever you go, Emori." Murphy's voice sounded behind them. "Screw asking for permission." She grinned.

"That's definitely Murphy's policy," teased Raven.

Murphy dropped his head conspiratorially. "There is a door to this observation deck. I can't figure it but I thought with the two best brains in the ship..." He trailed off suggestively.

"On it," said Raven, going to investigate the panel.

Murphy smirked at Emori, and leant down to kiss her. He kissed gently, but she kissed back aggressively, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him strongly against her. A grinding sound broke them apart and they grinned side by side at Raven, who smirked back.

Murphy had dragged blankets from their room and Raven dumped them by the window with a salacious grin. Emori spread them out, then pushed Murphy down onto them roughly.

"So we're claiming this as our new room?" Asked Raven.

Emori reached a hand out to pull Raven over. "You bet."

 

***

 

"I have a solution," said Raven, her whole body shaking with the news.

As the cold wave of shock washed over Murphy, he felt a grin grow on his face. He looked to Emori, but she wasn't grinning, she was staring at Raven with fear.

"Why don't you look happy?" She asked Raven. Murphy's grin slid off just as fast.

"I have to stay here."

"What?!" Said Murphy. "No."

"It's the only way you guys will get to the ground," she said, and her shaking was so pronounced, it looked like she was on the verge of collapsing.

Murphy grabbed her to keep her upright, but also to hold her close. Emori's arms wrapped around them as well. They were all shaking. The chance at returning to the ground was the news they'd been waiting for for almost a year, since they knew that Earth would be survivable again. But they didn't want the news if it meant losing Raven. The conflict between hope and despair was tearing them apart.

Raven pulled away slightly. "I have to tell the others."

"No," said Murphy, resolutely. "Not until we have a different solution."

"You want to stay on this ship for the rest of our fucking lives?"

"I want to be with _you_ for the rest of my fucking life," he snarled. Emori and Raven both froze. The way they had been living their lives for the last year didn't allow for a lot of talk about the future. They'd hoped, but it didn't pay to talk much about it.

Raven unfroze and lifted her chin. Murphy and Emori both recognised it. It was impossible to argue with her in this state. Not that they wouldn't try.

She pulled away completely and Emori felt a physical hole where Raven had been in her arms, like she had already lost her.

"We're not going to die anytime soon; we're sustainable here. We've got time," begged Emori.

"We're not leaving until there's an alternative."

"I have to tell the others," Raven repeated, turning away without promising.

 

***

 

Bellamy and Raven stared at each other, sizing the other up. It was unspoken, but they all knew if Bellamy agreed, they'd do it.

Raven raised her eyebrows and Bellamy nodded. The bottom dropped out of Murphy's stomach dropped out and he tasted his rage.

He didn't hear anything else, only watched Bellamy's face as his mouth moved and then he turned and walked away. He followed.

Bellamy realised he was being followed and turned. Again, Murphy could only watch his mouth move, as anger buzzed in his ears.

"It should be _you_. You're a fucking waste of space!" Yelled Murphy suddenly. Bellamy pushed Murphy as hard as he could. Murphy was prepared for it and rocked back, putting all his effort behind a punch that pushed Bellamy back into the wall. Bellamy spat blood onto the ground and rammed Murphy to the ground.

Two hands grabbed Murphy's arms, trying to pull him back but he yanked them out of the grip and threw himself at Bellamy again. This time, two bodies slammed him and he fell to the ground.

They let him up quickly, and he leapt to his feet, rounding on his two shipmates. Monty and Harper. He snarled at them.

"We left Clarke behind to die, probably choking on her own blood, and now we're going to leave Raven to die on her own? You're all just gonna pretend we're up here on a fucking holiday?" He asked the room at large. "We're here cos everyone we know is dead! We can't repopulate the human race from seven people and we're just waiting until we all die. That's it! That's life now. Whether we do it up here or down there."

"Murphy. There are people down there. The bunker would have survived." He rounded on Harper.

"You cling to that," he scoffed back, "if you can't face the truth."

" _Your_ truth, Murphy," snapped Raven.

“Go fuck yourself, Raven.”

“John,” started Emori.

“You, too!”

He turned and fled.

 

***

 

Murphy was in the workroom when Emori found him.

"Do you really think she wants to die?" Emori asked rhetorically.

"She's already tried," snapped Murphy. He'd never lost the fear that gripped him every time he remembered Raven planning her own death in Becca's lab.

"She overcame that."

"And this? Are you really gonna stand there and talk me into letting Raven sacrifice herself?"

"Do you think we can stop her?" she asked, and Murphy turned when he heard the thickness in her voice. Tears streamed down her face.

He wanted to snarl at her for her weakness but he couldn't. She was hurting just as much as he was, but she wasn't letting it turn into anger. That took more strength than he could comprehend.

He hugged her instead, maybe squeezing a little harder than usual. A cough sounded in the doorway. Raven didn't even have the grace to look guilty. Murphy almost snarled at her, but Emori interrupted him.

"Let someone else do this," said Emori quickly.

"And which of our friends would you sacrifice? Do you really think I would survive long with that guilt on my conscience?"

"Then let me do it," said Emori. "Don't die."

"Emori, you're brilliant, but I understand this ship. If anyone has a chance of finding another way down, it's me." It was an empty hope and they all knew it.

Murphy shook his head. "No," he said, moving towards the door, prepared to push Raven aside to get away from this conversation.

"John, wait," she said. He paused, breathing deeply.

"Six years ago, I promised myself I would find a way to get us back down. Let me get you all home."

 

***

 

It felt suffocating to be back in the spacesuits. Having to breathe around the holes in their chests and conserve oxygen at the same time was almost impossible.

Raven, Murphy and Emori had shared one last night together. They hadn't discussed the exodus again. It simply lingered over their heads in every preparation they made. It lingered in the space between them when they could bear to have space between them.

Raven had given every one of her family a hug, but eventually she tore herself away. She was standing on the other side of the open doors, now, her hand on the panel to close them.

"I'll follow when I can." She said weakly.

She pulled the lever and the doors started grinding as they closed.

Murphy pushed past the others and slid through the gap, covering Raven's hand and pulling the lever back up. He pulled his helmet off.

"I'm going to be on the same side of this door as you," he said simply.

"We're all going to be on the same side of the door," said Emori, and the others grouped around.

"Agreed," said Bellamy.

"We're not leaving anyone behind. Not again," said Monty.

A beeping noise interrupted the moment.

"What the hell?" Raven stared at the radar. A ship moved towards them. Fast.


End file.
